Emergency Preparedness

Communication is key to safety at NOVA. You will be better prepared in an emergency if you know how the College will respond, where you can find information and what you should do.

Please bookmark this page. You will find messages to the College community with relevant information and directions in the event of an emergency on this page and on the NOVA home page. For information about the Office of Emergency Management & Safety services and safety tips visit their website.

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Log in to make sure your contact information is current in NOVA Alert and that you have registered your cell phone or alternate email address.

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Click on the tabs below to review emergency procedures for events that may happen at NOVA.

Suspicious Person

Call 911 or 703.764.5000. Provide as much information as possible about the person and his or her direction of travel.

Suspicious Package

DO NOT handle or touch the suspicious item/package.

DO NOT use a cell phone, radio or other transmitter.

Persons should be evacuated from around the item.

Retreat to a safe location and call Campus Police at 703.764.5000.

Be prepared to evacuate and take your personal belongings with you.

It is important that employees and students are always cognizant and do not leave brief cases, backpacks, handbags, etc. unattended. These items could be construed as suspicious and cause undue time, energy and expense to determine that the item is “safe”. They may be destroyed.

If the area is under a Severe Weather or Tornado WARNING, seek shelter immediately.

Go immediately to:

The nearest Severe Weather Shelter AreaOR

An appropriate area that will provide protection -- closets, interior rooms, interior hallways, areas free of windows or glass.

Stay away from corners, windows, doors and outside walls.

Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside.

Use your arms to protect your head and neck. Protect your body from flying debris with any available furniture or sturdy equipment.

If you are outside with no shelter, consider these options:

Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If you are unable to get to a sturdy shelter, stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat or other cushion, if possible.

If you are outside and unable to get to a car or a building for protection, move away from the tornado’s path at a right angle. If there is no time to escape, lie flat in the nearest depression (ex. ditch or ravine). Cover your head with your arms.

Run and evacuate if you can. This may be your best chance of survival. Have an escape route in mind. Leave valuables behind and keep hands visible.

Hide in an area outside of the shooter's view. Block entry to your hiding place and lock doors. Turn off lights and silence electronic devices.

Fight as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger. Attempt to incapacitate the shooter. Act with physical aggression.

Register for NOVA Alert

If you have not done so already, register your cell phone for NOVA Alert, our emergency alert system that sends text messages to your cell phone and personal email addresses. This lets us communicate with you when timely and accurate information is vital. To receive NOVA Alerts, you must register for them!